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Reykjavik Iceland, the MICE planners paradise?

The capital city Reykjavik is expanding its infrastructure and evolving into a premiere location choice for MICE planners, only 3-5 hours from mainland Europe and 5-7 hours from N-America. Iceland is closer than you probably think. Up to 25 airlines service Iceland with direct flights to 80 destinations. Our flagship carrier Icelandair has been connecting the two continents for 80 years and is currently flying to 42 destinations.

Reykjavík is hip, it’s cool, it’s small but offers everything that large cities do. Good hotels, good food, good nightlife, good music and the nature is only a few steps away. And it’s finally affordable to go there - Lonely Planet's reader

Unlike some major European cities whose size can be intimidating, Reykjavik has a small-scale urban center that attendees find easy to navigate. The hassle-free city centre is safe, clean and packed with restaurants, shopping, culture and vibrant nightlife. Iceland´s high level of education, scientific expertise, flourishing start-up culture, and magical nature makes the destination a perfect backdrop for international meetings and world-class events. It only takes around 40 minutes to reach the city centre from the airport.

Planners can choose from moderate accommodation to high end hotels. Several luxury and lifystyle hotels are opening and beeing built There are also several venues to choose from accomodating up to 3500 guests. Harpa conference centre situated by the harbour in the city centre is an architectural gem but there are plenty of other venues that are either traditional or unique. Iceland is also up and coming as a foodie destination.

Visiting delegates enjoy interacting with Icelanders who speak English as their second language, and often other Scandinavian and European languages. Carolyn Bain wrote about her acquintance with the Icelanders "...on subsequent visits, the beauty of those same landscapes can still reduce me to tears – but the locals are what affirm my love for Iceland. Their resourcefulness, quirkiness, interconnectedness and warmth is unparalleled." Icelanders are known for their quick and accurate work, which was reflected in how effortlessly they welcomed former US president Ronald Reagan and former Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev for a famous summit in Reykjavík in 1986.

Although the Viking sagas tell the tales on violence and raids the Icelanders today are very friendly and peaceful, ranking number one on the Global Peace Index. The only war Icelanders have ever fought was against United Kingdom in the so called „Cod Wars“. This dispute centred on Iceland's decision to extend its zone of control over fishing from 50 miles beyond its shores to 200 miles. Yes, Iceland won. When opting for a peaceful theme in Reykjavik city there is one place of particular interest. Situated just a few minutes from Reykjavik city with a ferry, is the island Videy. Videy is home of the Imagine Peace Tower, a memorial to John Lennon from his widow Yoko Ono. Close to the Imagine peace tower is a beautiful venue and restaurant well suited for all sorts of MICE events.

Download our Meet in Reykjavik app that showcases Iceland as a MICE destination, filled with pictures, videos and information.

In August 2011, the City of Reykjavik was designated a UNESCO City of Literature as it boasts an outstanding literary history and has one of the highest per capita book publishing rates in the world. It was the first non-English speaking city to be awarded this honour.

CNN named Reykjavik as one of the worlds five most interesting Christmas destinations. Visit Reykjavík has taken the Christmas City´s holiday preperations a step further in collaboration with various companies.

Scientific knowledge and research is growing and Icelandic ingenuity is leading the way in enterprises such as Össur, a preeminent prosthetic company, and Marel, a provider of electronics for the food processing industry. Cosmetics made from various plants and herbs are another flourishing sector.